Rotary rod weeder



Aug 1944. c. c. CALKINS 355,950 I ROTARY ROD WEEDER Filed Nov. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 15, 1944. c. c. CALKINS ROTARY ROD WEEDER 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 2, 1940 shoes on the lower Patented Aug. 15, 1944 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTARY RODWEEDER y Claude c. Calklns, Spokane, Wash. Application November 2, 1940, Serial No. 364,007

8 Claims. (CI. 97-42) This invention relates to weeders of the general type disclosed in my former patents, No. 1,818,532, August 11, 1931, and No.'1,910,881, May

23', 1933, wherein the weeding tool consists of a rodof square cross-section journaled in the lower ends of a gang of parallel longitudinal goose-neck beams and rotating in a backward direction relative to the direction of travel of the machine beneath the surface of the ground to uproot and throw backward weeds, grain stubble and the like.

It has heretofore been known, as shown for example by my prior ber 11, 1930; 1,804,672, May 12, 1931; and 1,840,617, January l2, 1932, to mount shovels or pointed ends of the longitudinal beams and mount the rotary weeder rod in bearings in the shanks of said shovel or shoes. there are usually not more than four such beams on each machine, the capacity of the shovels or shoes to break up the surface of the ground and prepare the latter for theeffective operation of the square weeder rod has been very limited.

The main object of this invention has been to provide a means for greatly increasing the number of the shovels or shoes that may be'used on a rotaryrod weeder of this type, so as to break up the entire surface of the ground in advance of the weeder rod for the full width of the machine,

and the primary element of this means consists of a bar that is attached to longitudinal beams of the machine and itself constitutes a support for the shanks of a'gang of pointed shovels or shoes that can be disposed in close sidewise proximity to eachother. ably, and as shown in I after described, this bar is so mounted on the lower ends of the longitudinal beams that it can be tilted to vary the and cause the latter to penetrate the ground to a greater or less depth, as the condition of the ground may make desirable.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the inventionwill be apparent to persons skilled in the art from'the following description of a practical and preferred embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the rod weeder equipped with my present improvement.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the ground-engaging elements of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section, roughly illustrating cross-section, takcnon the Patents Nos. 1,781,157. Novemthe lower ends of the Prefer the drawings and hereinangular pitch of the shovels.

But since the operatio'n of the shovels on the top film of earth and the weeds and grain stubble therein.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating Referring to the drawings, I have shown in Fig. l a machine which, except for the improvements hereinafter described, is substantiall the machine of my former Patent No. 1,818,532, modii lied by the substitution therein of the drive for the weeder rod disclosed in my later Patent No. 1,910,881. The machine includes a frame structure designated as an entirety by 10, rigidly mounted in which frame are a gangof rearwardly extending, parallel. longitudinal beams ll terminating at their rear ends in depending curved portions ll'.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 6, mounted on the lower ends of the depending portions H of the beams are bracket plates 12, and extending crosswise of, and suitably attached to the forward portions of thesebracket plates is a straight flat horizontal bar 13. Attached to this bar l3 as by bolts II are the rear ends of the shanks l5 of a corresponding plurality of shovel blades l6.

Certain of these shanks l5 are formed between the bar l3 and the shovel blade IS with bearings in which is journaled the square rotary weeder rod l1. These shovel shanks l5 may be attached to the top side of the bar l3, with rod bearing l8 formed in the lower portion of the shank, as shown in Fig. 4; or, the shank may be attached to the bottom side of the bar l3. with the rod bearing [8 formed in the upper portion of the shank, as

shown in Fig. 6; these two arrangements being optional.

In the case of the intermediate shovel shanks l5 that are not equipped with bearings for the weeder rod. these mayfbe so formed as to overlie the weeder rod. as shown in Fig. 3, or to underlie the weeder rod, as shown in Fig. 7.

The bracket plates I! are preferably attached to the lower ends of the permits said bracket tical plane, so as to thereby vary the angular pitch of the bar 13 and the shovels I 6 and cause the latter to penetrate the'groundmore or less deeply.

The means shown for this purpose consists of a pivot bolt l9 connecting the parts I2 and II, an arcuate slot 20 in one of the members 12 and I l' beams l l by means which plates to be tilted in a ver-' are employed.

that is concentric with, the pivot l9, and a clamp bolt 2|; :However, the bracket plates l2 may be fixedly secured to the beams in cases where variations in the angular pitch of the hovels are not desired.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a large number of shovels l6, set closely adjacent to each other, These shovels very effectively break up and loosen the soil in advance of the weeder rod l1, so that the latter,'which turns clockwise viewing Figs. 3 to 7, very effectively uproots the weeds, throwing the latter rearwardly over the bar I3. operation of the shovels in raising the top film of the soil, and killing the weeds. Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned the fact that weeds grow up in the spring grain and, after the crop is cut oif, these weed plants mature and scatter the seed, and this tool makes it possible for the farmer to cover his entire stubble field at a very reasonable cost and kill these weeds so the seed will not mature.

Again, the device leaves the bulk of the stubble standingupright, as indicated in Fig. 5 which prevents the snow from blowing off, and further, it loosens" the surface soil so that the fall and winter'moisture'readily penetrates the soil- A lthi'rd and equally important advantage is that it can be used in the sprin instead of a plow. It will penetrate into the'soil and loosen it to the desired depth, and leave fthe trash on top. If

desired, a'rod weeder of the same type, but Without-theshovels, can be subsequently used and the soil tilled closer to the surface to kill any ofv the small weeds which were not. killed in the first operation where the soil was tilled to a plow depth.

Soil packed byrain, and, again in certain sections with heavier soil types the soil packs and runs together more or less after plowing so that it is impracticable to use a plainrod weeder; and this invention makes it possible to use thisrod weeder and gain the advantages from rod weeding in preference to other types of tillage such as disking', etc. which dries out the soil. The rod weeder has a tendency to firmthe soil underneath, whil leaving a loo'semulch on top, and trash to the top'to help and all this is done without moisture.

I claim: V I V 1. In a weeder of the class described having a. gang ofjparallel longitudinal beams having depending rear portions, the bar' extending crosswise of and lifts those clods make a better mulch, disturbing the lower the lower ends of said beams, a groupof shovels having shanks attached to and extending forwardly of said bar, certain gang of parallel longitudinal beams having de-,

pending rear portions ,the combination of a flat which lies fallow sometimes becomes combination of a nab Fig. 5 roughly discloses the group "of closely adjacent shovels having shanks attached to and extending forwardly of said bar, certain of said shanks lying adjacent to said bracket plates formed with bearings, and a rotary weeding rod mounted in said bearings parallel with said bar.

3. A rotary rod weeder of the class described comprising a frame having a plurality of depending portions, a normally horizontal bar extending transversely of said depending frame portions, means for attaching said bar to said depending frame portions forpivotal adjustment of said bar about an axis extending in the direction of the length of the bar, a rotatable weeder rod and a. series of plow shovels in advance of said rod, said rod and shovels being connected in normally of plow shovels carried by said horizontal bar I and extending forwardly of said weeding rod to cut a'nd loosen the earth in advance of said weeding rod and said horizontal bar, said plow shovels having portions extending over said weedingrod so as to tend to. guide some of the loosened earth and weeds. contained therein over the weeding;

rod.

the weeding rod and bar. 6. A rotary rod weeder comprising a frame central, rearwardly extending shank portion extending upwardly and over said rod and bar and being secured to the bar,

central shank portions serving to guide some of the loosened earth and over said. weeding rod and bar.

7. A rotary'rod weeder shovels in advance of the rod for cutting and loosening the earth to facilitate passage of the rod therethrough, theplow shovels having rearwardly and sidewise extending wing portions, the of said rod with the,

latter terminating in front upper surfaces of their rear end portions disposed in planes which extend substantially below the plane of the lowermost portion of the rod but not substantially above the same, thereby to permit free passage of loosened earth into en gagement with and under said rod.

8. A weeder of the class described comprisin g a rotary rod, a series of plow shovels inadvance of said rod for cutting'and loosening the earthy said plow'shovels serv- Y ing to cut and loosen the earthin advance of .1 said weeding rod and horizontal bar, and said weeds contained therein I having a series of plow to facilitate passase of the rod therethroulh. a a

normally stationary bar in back of said plow shovels and rod, said plow shovels having substantially symmetrical rearwardly and sidewise extending win: portions and a central. rearwardly extending shank portion, said shank portion extending upwardly and over said rod and bar, and being'secured to said bar,said wing portions terminating in front of said rod with the upper surfaces of their rear end portions disposed in planes which extend substantially below the plane of the lowermost portion of the rod but not substantially above the same, thereby to permit free passase of loosened earth into engagement withvand under said rod.

CLAUDE C. CALKINS. 

